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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Tater Tot Casserole

After Baby Girl was born, we had an outpouring of love in the form of dinners from the Relief Society (LDS church’s women’s group) and from Danny’s squadron.

One dinner that we got twice with slight variations was Tater Tot Casserole. I searched and searched online for the recipe that sounded the most like the one we enjoyed best. But in the end, I had Danny call our friend and get it from her.

He neglected to ask all the right questions like,

“Do you grease the pan? Do you drain the grease from the meat and onions? Did she really use ground beef? Does she sometimes use sausage? I think she used sausage that night. What kind of cheese? Are the veggies still frozen? Do you use the whole bag of tater tots even if it goes beyond one level?”

But I m smrt.

So I made my own guesstimations.

After a failed first attempt that left me feeling like I had smeared thick greasy chapstick on my lips, I have found the right amounts.

Search no more my friends. This is a tasty casserole for dinner or breakfast that kids will eat and has vegetables!

2 lb. bag frozen tater tots

1 lb. ground sausage (like Jimmy Dean)

1 cup chopped onions

1 lb. bag of frozen mixed veggies

1 can (10 ½ oz.) Cream of Chicken Soup

8 oz. shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375° F

1. Place tater tots in bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. No need to grease it. Just dump the whole bag in and try to even it out. Some will be on others. It’s okay.

2. Brown the sausage and onions. Drain the grease. Spread sausage and onions evenly over the tater tots.

3. Mix the (still frozen) mixed veggies and the Cream of Chicken soup together. Spread over the sausage and onion layer. If the veggies are one huge block, it’s okay to beat it up with the soup can. It’s therapeutic too.

4. Spread shredded mozzarella evenly over the top. You don’t want to be the one without cheese on your serving.

5. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes.

Serve your hungry kiddies. and husbands. Husbands like to eat too you know. Unless your husband is in Nebraska freezing his tushie off and left you with all 7 kids for four days. Then he doesn’t get any because it will be gone before he gets home. But that’s what frozen microwave dinners are for.

Mom- It was Melissa that made it. Lois made the Mac n' Cheese w/ ham and crumb topping. Also tasty. Melissa said she usually makes it with mixed veggies: green beans, corn, carrots, and peas. I do remember the green beans and the corn. And definitely sausage. hmm... I think I'll heat up some leftovers now.

I've made tater-tot casserole a lot in the past, but like most casseroles, it kinda goes through cycles. Your post made me realize I hadn't had it in a long time, and I've been craving it ever since I read it. Tonight I'm finally getting around to making it--it's in the oven right now and I can hardly wait!